In Repair
by Vampmer
Summary: Picking right up where Season 4 left off. Damon and Elena have a chance to start over, but Silas is posing as Stefan, Jeremy is back, Bonnie is nowhere to be found... and Tyler refuses to come home yet. The final summer before Elena heads off to college. Delena. Will be updated frequently.
1. S05E01- Splash Splash I was Taking

**In Repair**

Rated T

S05E01- Splish Splash I was Taking a Bath...

a/n: _I don't want to wait for the next season! Do you? I got such positive responses to my previous fics, I figured I'd tackle season 5 and see where it takes us all for the summer. Please R+R, and if you haven't yet, check out my other fics!_

* * *

"The veil went back up." said Elena as she stepped into the Salvatore living room. Damon was sitting adjacent the fireplace with an empty tumbler.

"Did you find Bonnie?" he asked without looking up.

"No, Kol attacked me and then disappeared." said Elena sitting across from him in the lounge chair.

"Yeah. Rick is gone too." Damon sighed and looked up. "Kol attacked you? Are you alright?"

Elena smiled. "Nothing vampire Elena can't handle." He grinned back at her, staring at her doe-sized eyes. He hadn't really had a chance to absorb everything that had happened today, and his conversation with Stefan before he left to dispose of Silas left him feeling fuzzy. Damon wasn't used to winning, and having things work out in his favour. "That was really dumb by the way. Your whole werewolf venom situation." she scolded.

"Yeah. I got that when you cracked me in the face. Wicked right hook by the way." Damon shrugged and smiled at her. She seemed distant. He felt distant too- in shock. "What's wrong?" he asked, searching her face.

"I have to tell you something." she started.

"If it's that you've already changed your mind about loving me..." he said sarcastically

"...do I need to punch you in the face again?" groaned Elena rolling her eyes. Damon grinned.

"So I guess in this case it's the other way around. They always say when boys hit little girls it's because they like them. A punch in the face just means you care, right?" he waggled his eyebrows in a signature Damon-like way.

"Ugh be serious for a second Damon... I'm not sure you're going to like what I'm about to say." snapped Elena leaning forward in her chair. Damon's eyes went dark and bore into her.

"What?"

"When you gave me the cure earlier- I gave it to Stefan-" she started.

"...he didn't use it, I just saw him an hour ago." interrupted Damon.

"I know. He gave it back to me. So I had it on me when I went looking for Bonnie, and Kol came looking for me." she continued. Damon raised an eyebrow to silently signal her to continue. "Kol wasn't the only one looking for me. Katherine was. Bonnie promised her Silas-like immortality or something... she was really pissed she didn't get it and wanted to take it out on me." explained Elena.

"Obviously you kicked her ass, or you wouldn't be here. Unless you're Katherine..." Damon grinned slyly. 99% of him was sure Elena was sitting right there... but there was always the chance.

"Not exactly." started Elena. "She got me through the throat with a pole." Elena pointed at her still healing throat. "So I slammed the cure into her mouth, and knocked her unconscious." Elena stated it, as if it had been the most normal thing in the world.

Damon stared, his mouth slightly open. He was silent.

"Say something." urged Elena.

"I..." but words escaped him. "Where is she now?" he asked after a few more moments had passed.

Elena shrugged. "I left her lying there and went looking for Bonnie. When I didn't find Bonnie and decided to come back here, she was gone."

"Wow." said Damon.

"Wow." agreed Elena. "It was just the only thing I could think of in the moment. She was killing me." she admitted. "I hate her so much, but I realized, all the power she has came from being a vampire."

"All the fear she created came from being a vampire too." added Damon. "There are going to be a lot of angry humans and super naturals looking for her if word gets out."

"We're the only ones that know." said Elena feeling unsure of herself. She wasn't expecting this sort of objective observational response from Damon. It made her uneasy. Did he think of her differently now?

"Well, it was her or you." he said leaning across and taking her hand. "I think Katherine considers humanity a fate much worse than death." he added. "Now she can't run from her past or her human feelings, and there's no compulsion that can help her."

"She still looks like me. She can still cause plenty of trouble." said Elena, surprised that she could still have fear of the woman she'd just knocked down a peg.

"True. But Klaus would come for her in an instant, doppelganger blood and all." he replied. Elena nodded, still looking shaken. "Hey." Damon reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "You did good." he smiled that infectious grin. The one that often caught Elena off guard, confused her, and distracted her. She half smiled back at him. "It's been a crazy few days." added Damon. "Graduation, avoiding the apocalypse, disposing of Silas, saying goodbye to your dead brother and all our dead friends..." he thought fleetingly of Rick again, wondering if the ghost was watching all of this unfold.

Damon patted the leather couch seat beside him, and Elena crossed over to sit with him. In what seemed like a very vulnerable and affectionate moment, she plopped her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes, and sighed. Her looked at her features as she lay there, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheeks, her soft illuminated skin, the way her chest slowly lifted with each breath... In that moment it was as if everything that had happened with Elena finally clicked. All the love and yearning he'd developed over the years, all the fear that everything was because of the sire bond, all the anger and frustration, and all the surprise... just came to a silent focal point in his mind as he accepted everything that has transpired. Elena Gilbert _loved_ him. Like Rick had said, he got the girl.

Damon got the girl. He got the girl and he was _scared._ Things were always too good to be true for him. Last time the sire bond had held him in the back of his mind, a dark voice always whispering doubts. But here she was. Elena was his. She was here with him on the leather couch. She'd been through one hell of a day- just like he had. She was _here_.

"What are you thinking about...?" murmured Elena, not opening her eyes.

"You." said Damon, reminded of the moment he'd seen her on the stairs before the Miss Mistic Falls Pageant and that one word had sliced him.

"...but I'm right here." she replied, eyes still closed. He draped his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder.

"I know." he sighed contently. "I know."

* * *

Coraline was pacing the floor of her bedroom. Her mother watched on from the doorway. "So anyway Tyler, message number five now. Call me back." she clicked the end call button and sighed, refusing to look up at her mother knowing she'd be staring with sad eyes.

"Just give it a night honey." said her mother with a sigh. "He probably hasn't even checked the phone, or maybe he's gotten a new burn out." Liz had been helping make sure Tyler could bounce cell phones around and block tracking software on the chance Klaus had been tracking his voicemails.

"You're probably right mom. I guess I just thought, even if Klaus hadn't freed him... I thought he'd contact me on my graduation." she sighed. "Selfish, I know. I forget I am a crazy vampire and don't get to enjoy normal human things anymore." she slumped.

Liz crossed into her daughter's room. "You may be a vampire kiddo, but you'll always be my daughter." she gave Caroline a hug. "I'm sure, he'll call." she smiled and touched Caroline's cheek. "I'll be up for a little while updating my case files. Let me know if you need to talk some more, okay?"

Caroline nodded and hugged her mom back , sniffling. "I guess I may be a vampire but I still freak out like a human." she gave her mom a half smile. "I'm just going to spend some time alone."

Caroline sat herself in front of her vanity mirror and began to brush out her hair, and put it back into two braids for sleeping in. The phone on the bed buzzed, and she leapt for it with vampire speed. She didn't even check the caller I.D.

"Tyler?!" she cried.

"Hi Babe!" he called back. "Happy Graduation, I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

"I'm so happy to hear your voice." she sniffled. "I was so happy to see you for prom but it just made me miss you even more. Has Klaus gotten word to you?" she asked.

"Yeah... I got word..." said Tyler softly.

"Isn't it amazing? I promise it's not a trap, he's got this thing for me so he-"

"-Caroline." he tried to interrupt.

"but it doesn't mean anything and he knows it. He showed up to save us though when the witches attacked and-"

"Caroline!" he tried to interrupt again.

"I know I know, just why aren't you home yet? You should be here by now!" she asked it meaning to show that she was strong and okay and could wait a few more hours. She didn't expect the hesitation on the other end of the phone. "Tyler. You're coming home, _right?"_

_"Yes_ Caroline... just not ye-"

"Not what?!" she demanded.

"I can't come home yet." he said softly.

"Why the hell not?" cried Caroline stamping her foot without meaning to. Her emotions getting the better of her.

"Klaus has some kind of hold on Haley. I need to find out what's going on before I come home." he explained.

"Haley? She betrayed us. She was working for Shane, and Katherine, and probably flipped on them too!" yelled Caroline.

"She's an orphan Caroline. And she's a part of my pack. I can't just sit around while Klaus has her in New Orleans." Tyler was trying to sound calm and rational. "She needs my help, whatever he has on her... I need to find out why she's staying. I can't just believe she's pregnant or something and staying on her own will."

Caroline was silent. She couldn't argue with his logic, but she wanted to be selfish. He'd already been gone for so long.

"Just..." she started but her voice gave out. "Just don't end up dead. Come back to me."

"I'm his only living hybrid left. He's also in love with you, and you love me. He's not going to kill me. You'd hate him forever." said Tyler.

"I know you're right." said Caroline wiping away tears. "I just don't like it."

"You don't have to like it babe." said Tyler, smiling to himself on the other end of the phone. "But at least I can call you. I'll be home soon it shouldn't take long. I love you."

Caroline nodded, but stayed silent, and Tyler hung up the phone. She sat on her bed staring off into space, and then tossed the cell phone against the wall- splintering it into a dozen pieces.

* * *

_You don't need to breathe._

...

_You don't NEED to breathe..._

_..._

Stefan wasn't doing a very good job of convincing himself. Lexi had told him once- made some epic parallel- about how vampires can give up their humanity but never really give up their human habits like eating, drinking, sex, and breathing. She told him some story about a vampire who lived in an airless tomb and didn't breathe for a century. He'd only been fully submerged now a few seconds. Only moments ago the last bit of air seeped out through the hinges in the safe, and dark water seeped in.

Feared gripped him. He tried to remain calm and remember what he knew. He knew Silas had locked the safe and tossed him in. He knew a simple lock couldn't hold a vampire- so there was a strong chance he'd put some sort of charm on it. He knew Silas would likely insert himself into his place in his life to try and get Bonnie to lower the veil. Relatively speaking, Stefan knew he must somehow be related to Silas, the way Katherine and Elena were related. He knew Elena still had the cure and Silas would come looking for it. The thought enraged him. They were so close to _winning_ this time. Somehow they always dropped the ball in the end.

Stefan had been counting. He was nearing 3 minutes of holding his breath and his lungs were screaming for air. He was afraid. He was either about to have to fight his urge to breathe for however long it took him to get out of here, or he'd die. If he managed to hold his breath he was going to very slowly starve, and the deeper he moved down the water the more pressure was being applied to the safe. His ears popped. Stefan wasn't sure if it was the fear, the pressure, or the tightness from lack of air running across his chest, but he knew he had to do something so he could think, fight the fear, and figure this out.

He flipped the switch.

* * *

Elena had fallen asleep, resting against Damon on the couch. He swirled the remnants of his last drink in his glass, watching the amber liquid drip from one side to the other. He listened to Elena's rhythmic breathing. Damon wondered if Stefan would be back soon. Alaric was gone, that meant so was Lexi. Stefan would be coming back alone, with nothing to think about but how Damon won the girl. Caroline had texted him earlier to pass on the good news about Tyler, and he'd yet to hear from Bonnie or Matt. Damon didn't like letting his guard down... but after everything he'd been through in the past week he felt fuzzy. Elena's revelation about her feelings was still sinking in, and Damon couldn't help but feel guilty and sad for Stefan. Elena was all he ever wanted. He wondered if Stefan had felt this way when Katherine revealed she'd chosen him over Damon.

"Well..." said Damon starting to stir. "Time to head to bed." he scooped Elena into his arms, up off the couch and headed up the stairs to his bedroom. She barely moved, her head against his chest.

Damon looked around the room as he pushed things out of his way with his foot. He was a tidy creature, always feeling his room was his solstice he worked hard to keep his living space clean and comfortable. Elena had been off and on for the past little while, and some of her items were still strew across a chair. It was strange bringing her in there like this, knowing there was no sire bond between them, knowing her emotions were back on.

When Stefan talked her down- after he'd killed Matt to make her flip the switch- Damon had watched on in awe. For that instance he felt like he never really did know Elena. Stefan seemed to connect with her on a primal level. He'd risked her hating him forever by killing Matt, so she could have her emotions back. They'd never really addressed it and he wondered if they ever would. There was a lot they should probably talk about from the past few months.

Damon gently laid her down on the far side of the bed, and when he started to pull down the covers she murmured. "Mmm I'm a mess."

"No you're not." shushed Damon. He continued pulling the blankets over her.

"No, I am." she stopped his hand with her own. "I'm covered in dried blood and dirt. I'll ruin your bed."

"I'm not worried about the bed." laughed Damon looking down at her with a smile. She sleepily smiled back.

"Well, at least let me have a bath first." she suggested.

Damon waggled his eyebrows. "Now that, I can arrange. Why don't you get undressed and I'll go set it up." he suggested.

Elena could hear him arranging things behind the privacy screen that was next to his bath tub, and the water running. She smiled to herself. It seemed like forever ago that she, Bonnie, and Caroline took over the boarding house for a girls night and she wound up sitting in the deep tub. Wondering out loud why she'd never taken a bath in it, and now she was going to get to.

"I believe in the restorative powers of water you know." said Damon as he obviously lit candles. Her vampire senses picked up on the subtle smoke before her human senses would have, and she could now see the soft light through the privacy screen. She stood up on the floor and pulled her wrap off, pulled of her socks, and started to remove the rest of her clothing. "We're all made up of water, even vampires. Blood is made of water. Water sustains life... even for vampires." continued Damon.

Elena found one of Damon's robes lain across an arm chair, and she wrapped her nude self in it while she waited for him to finish. A light scent of lavender was in the air. "Water washes away the blood, the dirt, and even as a vampire it can wash away pain- the mental kind." he stepped out from behind the screen and smiled with his arm outstretched. "Your bath awaits, M'lady." he grinned like a little boy and Elena had to fight rolling her eyes. She simply grinned back, and took his hand.

Damon had indeed set up a few candles, the water was steaming and fragrant and she suspected filled with bath salts, and it looked extremely inviting with its bubbles. Damon motioned for the tub and Elena lingered a moment. He'd seen her naked, many times at this point. But this seemed different. It felt different. Her heart was racing, and her vampire hearing told her his was too. They could both hear their own blood in their ears. Elena stepped to the edge of the tub and started to carefully shrug out of the robe. Damon took it by the shoulders and held it up while she stepped in, adverting his eyes.

It was funny, and almost a tad ironic for Damon. He'd have done anything for a glimpse of Elena's skin months ago, but now he _could_ look and he wasn't. He _was_ her boyfriend. He'd thrown that carrot in front of her when she'd lost her emotions. He'd seen her like this before. But somehow this moment felt different. Intense but foggy at the same time. It felt new. He heard her dip into the water, and he put the robe over the privacy screen. She'd pulled her knees up to her chest and was leaning on them, smiling at him. His skin glistened from the water, and bounced the light from the candles. He crouched down on the floor and let his arm dangle into the tub, swirling the bubbles while he rested his chin on the edge, smiling back at her.

"I'm going to keep trying, you know." he said softly.

"Trying what?" asked Elena.

"To keep being, I don't know... better? _Decent_? Worthy of this love I guess." Damon shrugged. Elena gave a half smile. She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Now that this is all done, with Silas... I think I want to keep going with the college idea."

"Yeah?" asked Damon. "I think that's a smart idea. You'll like college. You're in control of your thirst, there's no looming evil over Mystic Falls... You may be a vampire but that doesn't mean you get to miss out on all these human experiences. They're still new to you, vampire or not."

It still surprised Damon that Elena hadn't taken the cure. Instead she had chosen this and chosen him. He wanted to keep reminding her to revel. To enjoy the gifts that come with being a vampire. "Of course, I might sneak in your dorm window from time to time-" there was that eyebrow waggle again and Elena laughed like a songbird. "What...?" Damon smirked.

"You know..." started Elena looking around the tub, almost nervously. "You can come in too..." it was a suggestion, but she almost posed it as a question.

"Yeah?" Damon raised his eyebrows and his head, a little surprised but trying not to look _too_ shocked.

"Yeah." nodded Elena. She didn't have to tell Damon twice. He stood up and lifted his black shirt over his head and started to pull at his belt. Elena watched the bubbles floating in the tub, a slight blush on her cheeks. Damon got in quickly and tried to make sure she had enough space. There were still plenty of bubbles.

"Turn around, I'll wash your back. Sea sponge." he reached passed her for the fluffy yellow sponge, and she did as he suggested and turned around. "Tell me more about collage. What are you thinking of majoring in?"

Elena pulled her hair into a braid while Damon dripped water down her back. The moment between them was intense, and intimate. But he was making small talk to help her relax and feel comfortable. With every drop of water that hit her skin and slid down, Elena imagined all the troubles of the past washing away. Just as Damon had helped her visualize earlier. "I was thinking... psychology."

"Psychology eh?" Damon asked as he scrubbed her shoulders. "Want to get into someone's head?"

"Well yeah actually. I mean look at the cases we deal with. I think psychology might help me understand everyone better, maybe even myself." replied Elena.

"You've put some thought into this." remarked Damon as he poured warm water down her soapy neck and back.

"Well, I'm a vampire now. I can get as many degrees as I want I suppose. Psychology now, maybe literature next time." she mused.

"Here." Damon pushed on her a little bit, making her lean her head back. She raised her eyes and looked up at him but he was already shielding her eyes with one hand, while pouring warm water down her hair with the other.

"I already braided it." she laughed.

"It had blood in it." replied Damon. "Katherine really nailed ya, huh?" Elena straightened up and Damon pushed her hair aside to examine her neck. There was no mark anymore, but he touched her skin anyway. Then he reached for the shampoo and massaged it into the long strands.

"Yeah." replied Elena, and then remained silent. There wasn't really anything else she could say. She wasn't sad in the least about the condition in which she left Katherine. She felt Damon nudge her again and she leaned her head back, closing her eyes while he rinsed her hair. "This is nice." she remarked. "I think you're right about water."

"I end up right about a lot of things." smirked Damon. He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder. "I was right about you."

"Oh really?" smiled Elena as Damon trailed kisses from her shoulder to the nape of her neck.

"mhmm... when I first saw you I told Stefan you had spunk." said Damon between kisses. "I was right when I said you wanted a love that consumes you."

"I remember you saying that... now. I remember all the things you compelled me to forget. I remember that I met you first, and I remember that you told me you loved me." said Elena softly. She turned around then, quickly, surprising Damon. "I love _you_. You _do_ consume me." She said feverishly kissing him, long, and hard.

It caught Damon off guard but he kissed her back, he still had one hand in her hair, the other cupped her face. The bath was warm and so were their bodies. It was dizzying. The air smelled like lavender and her. He felt himself leaning back, drawing her even closer as she leaned into him. They gasped for air between kisses and a euphoric wave washed over him, just like their first morning after together. Only this time there was no sire bond, he could be completely _sure_ this was _real_. Elena Gilbert _loved_ him. Elena Gilbert was _in_ love with him. Elena Gilbert _chose_ him. Elena Gilbert was here.

Elena _felt_ consumed. For these few intimate moments she let go of everything, everything that had happened since she became a vampire. All those emotions and guilt she'd been trying to ignore. Her hate for Katherine. The fear of Silas. Everything was washed away in the bath and consumed by Damon. She'd been so happy when they first got together, but after she'd flipped her switch for so long she'd forgotten how good she'd felt with him. She didn't even know why the sire bond stopped working, and she didn't care. She was just happy she could finally show him how she really felt.

She kissed his neck the way he had kissed hers, and her teeth grazed him unintentionally. The droplet of blood that formed on his skin caught them both unexpectedly. Their vampire instincts always kicked in around blood- even vampire blood. Elena lingered there, looking up with her large eyes, and then kissed his neck where the blood had pooled. Damon felt a shiver up his spine like a dog.

Things were, _progressing,_ and Damon was just about to lift her out of that tub with vampire speed and back onto his bed- bubbles and all- when they both heard knocking from downstairs. They froze. "Stefan?" asked Elena.

"Why would Stefan knock? It's his home too." said Damon rising out of the tub and reaching for a towel. "Maybe it's the witch." he crinkled his brows into a frown. It wasn't so much that their moment had been interrupted, but that he had the sinking feeling that everything was yet to be resolved from the veil. He passed Elena a towel, and then his robe, then quickly pulled on the pair of jeans he'd dropped on the floor.

"Whoever it is, smells human." said Damon. Elena nodded in agreement as they headed down the winding stairs- still dripping. "Maybe Matt?"

Elena was feeling the same as Damon. It was mildly annoying to have their romantic moment interrupted, but more worrisome than anything, that things were possibly left unfinished. She took a deep breath and prepared herself as Damon opened the front door. "...Jeremy?" Jeremy stared back at her with a sheepish grin. "Did something happen? Was Bonnie not able to lift the veil?" she immediately asked.

"She got it back up." said Jeremy softly.

"Well then... why are you still...?" started Damon. "...did the witch...?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I was going to go home, but then I remembered you burnt it down."

Elena crossed the threshold of the door and wrapped her brother in a hug while Damon watched. Tears poured down her face. She thought she'd said goodbye, but he was here. Flesh and blood. Jeremy was alive. He hugged her back.

"You better come in before someone sees you." said Damon pulling the two of them in. "You're supposed to be dead, little Gilbert. Not that we're not happy to see you."

"Where's Bonnie? How did she do this?" asked Elena.

Jeremy was silent. "Bonnie... she decided she needed a break after all this." he hesitated. "She tried the spell on a lark, and it worked. But it took... a lot... out of her." he fumbled for the words. "She decided to spend the summer with her mother." Elena responded by simply hugging her brother tighter, but Jeremy could tell from the look on Damon's face he wasn't buying it.

"Naturally you're welcome to stay here as long as you need." said Damon awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "There are a lot of rooms." he started. "One at the other end of the house should be good." he tacked on not wanting the little brother interfering with anymore romantic moments.

"Thanks Damon." said Jeremy meeting his eyes. There was a look there, and a silent exchange passed between the two men. They'd certainly be talking about this later, but clearly whatever Jeremy had to say couldn't be said in front of Elena right now.

"I just can't believe you're alright." said Elena pulling back and touching his face. They smiled at each other and Elena turned to smile at Damon. "isn't this wonderful?" she beamed.

"Yeah." forced Damon feeling a twisting sensation in his gut. "Great."

* * *

Silas had been standing at the base of the cliff watching the water for an hour now. He wanted to make sure the spell had taken, and Stefan was sealed below for good. It worked out in his good fortune that the Bennett-witch had died. If she didn't, he'd have been imprisoned in that stone for the rest of her natural life. He scowled to himself. Her being dead still posed a problem. He needed her to help him bring the veil down again, and he had no idea where the cure was now. At least she was within his other world. The one he created for his beloved. He had an eternity to figure out this problem.

For now, he needed to address Damon- the remaining Salvatore brother. Stefan and Damon were both distant ancestors, and he needed to be sure Damon wasn't the key to his undoing. He checked his reflection in the side mirror of the car. Despite all his powers, it wasn't like he could suddenly make up for being on death's doorstep for so many centuries. He had no idea how to drive one of these machines. He was, however, _very _fast. It took him less than an hour to arrive back at the Salvatore mansion.


	2. S05E02- Smoke and Mirrors

**In Repair**

Rated T

S05E02

A/n: _Thanks so much everyone for the kind reviews of the first chapter! I'm glad you enjoy my writing style. Please forgive the odd error, and kindly point it out. Believe it or not I have a learning disability that affects my writing. So I can't always see the mistakes and will gladly go back and fix them. If you like my style please consider reading my other fics. Thanks_

* * *

Katherine sat crumpled in the corner of the apartment. She'd paid for it off the books every year, and would visit it when she wanted to check in on Mystic Falls, or her doppelganger. Now that she was human, she knew at the very least no vampires could come in. Out of habit she'd made herself vervain tea when she arrived, and realizing after a slow gulp that it wouldn't harm her in anyway, made sure to up the dose. Her head ached. It had been so long since she'd felt pain that didn't vanish almost as quickly as it came.

Katherine looked around the room. So this was all she was left with. The meager items she'd hidden away here. Yes, some things were of value. She'd be able to bribe or blackmail a few others into helping her, protecting her, or doing errands for her. But it wouldn't be a long term solution. Especially once Klaus found out there was doppelganger blood to be spilled. She blinked her eyes a few times, missing her sight already. "It's okay." she told herself out loud. "You adapt. You find a way to land on your feet. You make Elena Gilbert pay." she sat up straighter, and soon stood to gaze out the window at the dark night.

_Elena_. Elena who got the best of both worlds. She got to have a human life, and a vampire life. She could have both Salvatore Brother's willingly if she wanted. She had vampire power she hadn't even begun to touch, and people who would throw themselves at her feet for the chance to be of some sort of help to her. Hell, both Stefan and Damon had almost died for her, multiple times. Gone were the days of her secret rendezvous with Stefan or Damon. Katherine narrowed her eyebrows as she began to put a plan in motion. She would make Elena pay, and then, she'd take over her life.

At least Silas was disposed of. She didn't need to worry he'd come chasing her for the cure.

* * *

"Why did you _tell_ me this little Gilbert." groaned Damon banging his head against the wall. "I'm trying to be the good guy here. I'm trying to be _deserving_. Elena will never forgive me for keeping this from her." Damon knew that it was only the normal way of things for him to experience happiness for a mere few hours before life dropped something stupid on him.

"Look, I'm not happy about it either... but we might be able to bring Bonnie back, and she made it pretty clear she doesn't want anyone to know." explained Jeremy. "You guys only just got her to flip her switch back. You know she's still going to have to deal with the fallout of that now that the threat is over. " he added, referring to Elena who was in Damon's room on the phone with an upset Caroline.

Damon sighed dropping his shoulders. "So, you can still see her and talk right? She's checking in?" Jeremy nodded. "No sign of this Katsia witch or whatever her name is?"

"She hasn't said anything yet." admitted Jeremy. "I think she's just bonding with her Grams and trying to figure things out." Jeremy leaned against the wall.

"That sure is something." said Damon taking a moment to look at Jeremy. "I think you've come back to life more than most vampires I know." Jeremy looked pained.

"I feel guilty enough." he spat.

"Don't. Elena _needs_ you. Bonnie knew the risks. She chose you. Just like I choose Elena. Every time." Damon clapped him on the back but Jeremy didn't feel comforted. "We don't choose who we love, and all the stupid things we do for that love."

"Well said brother." came Stefan's voice from the alcove. "Nice to see you Jeremy, alive and well." he remarked. "Interesting."

Jeremy turned with a smile. "Stefan!" he exclaimed. "Did everything go okay? Damon told me you went to dump Silas's body."

Damon watched Stefan carefully. He wasn't sure how to be around his brother right now. The truth was he felt guilty for winning the girl. The even worse truth of that was that he really didn't care and could keep ignoring it.

Silas, posing as Stefan, grimaced. "Lexi disappeared so I am guessing Bonnie was successful in putting the veil up."

"Yah." said Damon, not sure if he should tell Stefan at what cost, and looked to Jeremy who shook his head. The less people who knew, the better.

"Bonnie's gone to stay with her mom for the summer." said Jeremy.

"Interesting." replied Stefan.

"So that's it then? Lexi vanished and you dumped Silas? No spooky business?" asked Damon.

"No. But I had a lot of time to think on the drive home." Silas had ditched the car and was presently using an illusion spell to make it look like the thing was in the driveway. "I'm going to do some digging into our family history. I don't really know who I am anymore, you know? All this stuff with Silas, Elena, you guys. I sort of feel like I need to find myself again. I've got a few interesting leads a couple of towns over, and a few things out of State." explained the doppelganger.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Well yeah, I mean, everyone needs a hobby." he wasn't really sure what to say. It wasn't like Stefan hadn't wandered off to find himself before. "What kind of time frame are you thinking?"

"I'm going to leave in the morning." replied Stefan.

"Oh!" exclaimed Jeremy. "Damon, you should tell him about Katherine."

Silas stared at Damon clicking through his mental inventory on Katerina Petrova. He'd barely encountered her, but as she was one of those responsible for waking him up he had made an effort to learn.

"Yeah. About that..." sighed Damon. "Look. Elena told me you guys had a moment and you gave her back the cure and it was her decision what happened to it blah blah blah..." Damon was being theatrical in an effort to lessen the blow. "Katherine attacked her when she went looking for Bonnie. Had a poll through Elena's throat. The only thing Elena could think to do was force the cure into her mouth."

"...so Katherine is human now." finished Jeremy, watching Stefan for a reaction.

On the surface, Stefan's face didn't react. Inside, Silas was mentally screaming. Coincidentally, this conveyed exactly the expression to Damon and Jeremy that they would consider normal for Stefan. "You in there buddy?" asked Damon after his brother stood dazed for a few moments.

"Yeah. I just don't even know what to say or think about that." Replied Stefan, aptly.

"Yeah, neither do we." admitted Jeremy.

"Weird to think that doppelganger blood is on the loose again, and now it's laced with the cure." added Damon.

"Wow I never thought of that. Do you think if any vampires tried to bite her they'd be cured?" asked Jeremy.

"They'd be idiots to try, even if she is human." replied Damon rolling his eyes.

Stefan just stood in thoughtfulness.

* * *

Matt and Rebekah stood outside Tyler's house. "Is it all done?" asked Rebekah. She had respected Matt's wishes to not invite her into Tyler's home, and had waited outside while he had finished his last bit of tidying and packing.

"Yeah." replied Matt coming down the steps.

"How does it feel?" she asked. "To have graduated and about to start an adventure?"

"It feels good. It feels, needed." answered Matt. "I need to get out of this town." he added. Rebekah nodded in agreement. "What about you? The cure might still be out there."

"I doubt it." sighed Rebekah. "If they were going to give it to me, they would have done it by now. I think someone probably took it or it was destroyed. Or maybe Damon hid it away for safe keeping." she shrugged. "I'm trying to let it go." she admitted.

Matt nodded in solidarity. "This will be good for you Matt." she said. "A chance to live a little. Grow. And besides, not everyone can have an original vampire protecting their ass while they go abroad." She smiled with a tease.

Matt shrugged and blushed a little. They still hadn't _really_ addressed the kiss. They might not ever. He wasn't even sure what he wanted, and she was having to come to terms with giving up what _she_ wanted. "Pretty sure I saved your life once or twice." he half grinned.

"Once. Maybe. Debatable." teased Rebekah. "Are you going to tell them?"

"I left a note, sent a few texts... honestly, I just feel like I need a clean break. I love my friends, but I've already had to die once. I'd rather not do it again." admitted Matt.

Rebekah nodded. "I understand that. My brothers want me to go to New Orleans, family unity, that whole bit. I just need to get away for a while. I was cooped up, staked, in a coffin for too long. I missed out on all the fun."

She extended her hand, and he took it. They smiled together, and piled his stuff into the truck

* * *

Elena woke herself up in a cold sweat, screaming. Damon was up like a flash of lighting when he realized she'd simply been having a nightmare. It took her only a few seconds longer to figure it out too.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked sleepily.

"I'm sorry." she said, her voice coming out raspy. "Ever since I turned my emotions back on I have nightmares about everything that has happened. It makes me want to turn them off again."

"Well don't do that. Not only do I not want to see you go through it, I don't think I can kill Matt a second time." Damon was trying to be funny but Elena had tears in his eyes. "Hey..." he wrapped an arm around her. "It's okay. Look all vamps go through this. It's not fun, but it's easier than the Hunter's Curse."

"That was terrible." admitted Elena.

"At least these are just dreams." offered Damon.

"No. They're memories." she slumped.

Damon pulled her head to his chest, so she was directly over his heart. If there was one thing he learned with so many years on this planet, it was the calming effects certain things could have. A certain scent. A bubble bath. A heart beat. Damon could be a loose cannon. He was frequently in need of ways to calm down so he wouldn't shut his own emotions off. It seemed to have an affect, Elena calmed down again within a minute.

"I'm sorry, I just still don't know how to process all of this yet." she confessed. Damon kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"Hey, you can wake me up any time." he raised his eyebrows. "Come on, I've got an idea for something that'll take your mind of it all." he hopped out of the bed, wearing shorts. Elena smiled and slowly got herself out of bed, she was wearing a long form fitting t-shirt, so Damon tossed her the wrap from earlier.

"You know, one of the perks of being a vampire means I don't get cold very often." she smiled. Damon shrugged.

"What can I say? " grinned Damon. "Old habits, die hard. Over here." he motioned for the window. When she joined him next to it, he popped the pane open and stepped outside.

"Damon?" she laughed

"Just trust me." he smiled and outstretched his hand from outside the window. Elena took it and followed him out.

The two shimmied up the gutter pipe, and found themselves on the roof of the boarding house. While there was a low lying fog close to the ground, from up here they could see above the fog line. Damon picked out a spot to sit in the center, and patted the spot beside him. Elena slipped silently across the shingles and sat with him.

"Wow." she said, taken aback for a moment. "You can see most of mystic falls from up here."

Damon nodded. "When you're a vampire, your senses are more in tune with everything. You notice things you wouldn't normally see. I want you to look out and tell me what you see." he pointed in the direction of a cluster of houses.

Elena peered her eyes and looked out. "I see Caroline's house." she grinned.

"Good. But try to be in tune with the surroundings, what else do you see..?" asked Damon. "Trust yourself."

Elena looked around, and found her vision zooming at her will. It wasn't like she didn't know already that she had super vampire sight. She used it frequently- to survive. She never exactly used it to quietly observe. As she adjusted her view she did notice lots of little things. Fireflies. Dew forming on the grass and in spiderwebs. Shadows of moving critters. "I see everything." she smiled.

"What do you hear?"

Elena closed her eyes and focused on the sounds around her. "I hear the cars from the highway... I hear... " she strained. "crickets. I hear crickets!" she laughed.

"Now, what do you smell?" prodded Damon.

Elena, still with her eyes closed, inhaled deeply.

"Lavender... from earlier." she smiled. "and...sweet grass... and..." she took another breath. "You." she opened her eyes and turned to smile.

"yeah, I smell good." grinned Damon, bragging.

"I smell your blood." Elena admitted.

"You're probably thirsty." suggested Damon with an eyebrow waggle.

"Mmm..." said Elena inching forward. "But not for that." she grinned and kissed his lips gently. Damon smiled through the kiss, and then it became more passionate. The two sat lip locked under the stars while the sun slowly started to come up. Damon pushed Elena's hair behind her ear, and the gentle touch sent goosebumps along Elena's neck and spine. Damon drew away from her lips for only a moment.

"I love you." he whispered. "With everything in me. Every part I have to give."

Elena considered what he said for a moment. Damon had been telling her he loved her for a while now. But things had changed so much in all that time. "I love you." she replied. "No head tricks, no sirebond, no doppelganger... none of that stuff." she smiled. "I love _you_, Damon Salvatore."

With that embrace, every last lingering fear and doubt Damon had, washed away.

* * *

Stefan was calm now. He knew flipping the switch had been the right choice. There was no other way he could keep himself from letting the fear take over without doing it, and almost instantly an idea came to mind. _Bonnie._ She was dead. Silas had said as much. There was no way Silas could have broken her spell unless she died. That meant either the spell used to put the veil back up took her life, or someone got to her shortly after. Could it have been Katherine? There was no way of knowing if his friends knew that Bonnie had died. But if they did, they may wonder about the effectiveness of her spell against Silas. He couldn't count on that though.

If there was one thing he'd learned from Lexi during her brief visit, it was that ghosts could always see what was happening from the other side, and many things drew them to an area even if the people in it didn't know. So he just needed to concentrate on Bonnie. He wouldn't see her, but there was a chance she would see or understand him. Maybe she could get a message to someone. Somehow. It was worth a shot. He had nothing to lose and all the time in the world.

_Bonnie._

He concentrated hard on what Bonnie looked like. Closed her eyes and saw her in his mind. Focused on his memories of her. Her scent. Anything.

_Bonnie._

_Bonnie._

_BONNIE._

* * *

Bonnie drew in a haggard breath and found herself sitting on a bed when her eyes snapped open. She was confused. Unsure of what energy called here here, still learning the rules of The Other Side. She looked around. It looked familiar but she couldn't place it. Everything seemed foggy. She silently stood up and moved around the room. There was a journal on the bed side table. It was Stefan's. Bonnie was at the boarding house. Had Jeremy called her here?

The door was slightly ajar, casting a pillar of light on the floor. Bonnie edged into it and looked out. Jeremy was sitting in the living room just down from the bedroom, on a ottoman sketching in his sketch book. She smiled. She was about to call out to him, knowing the others couldn't see her or hear her when Stefan walked in front of her. He raised an eyebrow. "Bonnie." he nodded and moved through her into the room.

Bonnie spun around. "You can see me?" she asked confused.

Stefan gave a half smile. "You really threw a wrench into my plans." his stance was strong, he looked like he could take a swing at her at any instance. Far too cocky for a vampire who was supposed to be her friends, and also not supposed to see her.

"Silas." she spat. "I see you've stolen Stefan's face this time. How did you break my spell...?"

Silas grinned. "You broke it for me. By dying." Bonnie looked on confused.

"Where's Stefan?" she demanded.

"At the bottom of a very deep _deep_ lake. The same thing he was planning to do to me. Only fair I should think." replied Silas, still keeping his stance but looking calmer.

"Answer my question. How did you break the spell?" demanded Bonnie with intensity. A gust of wind blew through the room, stirring up the papers in Stefan's journal.

"You know I made The Other Side? I may not have control of it... but you can't have any power over me from there. Expression triangle or not." remarked Silas. "When you gave up your life in exchange for Jeremy's, you unbalanced the magic. There always needs to be a balance with magic Bonnie, you know this."

"Well then where's your balance? If Katsia's spell is longer effective on you, there must be a balance for you somewhere." growled Bonnie.

Silas produced a garden tool, an old spade, from his palm. He held it in the light and examined it thoughtfully.

"Oh, I have a balance. In fact, there have been many balances of mine. All dead now. Except one. Stefan." he turned the spade over and over in his hands.

Bonnie looked confused. "Stefan... but that doesn't make any..." her eyes went wide. "_This,_ is your true face. Stefan is your doppelganger!"

Silas grinned. He enjoyed being at the top of the power food chain. "Do you know the theory about ghosts and iron?" asked Silas.

Bonnie was silent. "Well, in older times, iron was used to dispel ghosts from an area." he held up the spade. "Don't get any ideas about running to your recently reborn hunter boyfriend." with a smirk Silas jabbed the spade right into Bonnie's stomach. She expected it to move through her but it hit on contact as if she'd been living. She doubled over in pain and blood, and then her spirit evaporated and she was in the dark again.

* * *

It was morning now, and Caroline sat on the swing in her front porch. She watched the sun come up. It was beautiful. The sky was ablaze, the birds were chirping, kids were stirring... but she wasn't in the mind frame to enjoy any of it. She couldn't stop thinking about her exchange with Tyler the night before. She was hurt and upset. Why was Haley suddenly more important than her? In the back of her mind she knew that wasn't true... but right now the jealous side was winning over the rational side. Fuelled by vampire heightened emotions.

She stared at her cell phone in her lap. She let out a sigh and decided to text Klaus. Fine. Tyler could go running to Haley. She had an original vampire more than interested in her attention. She'd just finished asking him how New Orleans was when she picked up an odd smell, and looked up. Elena was standing there in the sunlight, but she smelled like a human.

"Elena?!" Caroline jumped to her feet, dropping the phone on the swing. "You're human! Did you take the cure?!" she could feel tears stinging at the corner of her eyes, and then suddenly. Her chest was stinging. She looked down to see a stake in it- one that just barely missed her heart. She looked up at Elena to see that she was holding a cross bow that had obviously fired the stake. Caroline was confused and fell down to her knees. "Elena?"

Elena stood in front of her in spikey heeled boots. "Elena did use the cure. But she used it on me." a swift kick to Caroline's gut and Caroline was now doubled over, staring up.

"Katherine." she spat.

"Nice to see you too blondie. I lost my vampire powers. You're going to help me get them back."

Another fire from the crossbow, searing pain, and then everything went black.


	3. S05E03- Ghost in the Machine

**In Repair**

Rated T

S05E03 Ghost in the Machine

A/N: _Thanks for your patience while I worked on this chapter! Please R+R, and if you get a chance check out my other fics! (Especially "Blood Sharing" my most popular one!)_

* * *

Caroline's eyed peeled open with a lot of reluctance. Her own dried blood was mottled against her forehead. She coughed and blood came out. She rolled her head to the side and Elena came into blurry view.

"Elena…?" she started, but when she realized her arms and legs were bound by vervain, Caroline remembered what had happened. "No… Katherine." She groaned.

"Yes, Katherine." Replied the doppelganger, furiously typing away on Caroline's phone. "Why isn't Klaus responding?" she spat, pulling Caroline's hair back. "I see your little flirting."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You know Klaus. He does want he wants. What do _you_ want with _me_?"

"First of all, your blood is going to give me my immortality back." Replied Katherine digging around in a bag, then, producing a needle and syringe. "Then, lover-boy original will grant me my freedom, or I'll kill you."

"He won't give you anything." Said Caroline softly.

"Then I'll kill you anyway, and then your mother!" announced Katherine with a grin. "So while I take your blood…" she started, dipping the needle point in vervain to insure it would go through Caroline's skin, "You're going to leave Klaus a _desperate _message."

She shoved the phone to Caroline's face, and then shoved the needle into her skin. Caroline screamed.

Bonnie couldn't penetrate the Salvatore house, but she could try and locate Stefan. Being on the physical plane wasn't easy for her. It was like trying to hold your breath when your lungs were screaming for air. You could stay as long as you could stand the burn, of millions of fingers clawing at you to come back. No one could see her unless they happened to be a medium- and even then if they didn't know her they wouldn't know she was a ghost.

Bonnie tried appearing to her parents, to every witch she knew- but nothing. She knew time was running out for her, but also for everyone in the house. She concentrated on Stefan. If she could at least locate him- maybe she could figure this out.

"He won't be able to see you. Not in your state, and not where he is." Came a voice that broke her thoughts.

"Grams?" Bonnie turned outside the house to see her Grams.

Grams nodded knowingly. "I can take you to where he is child, but you can't interfere. You won't be able to communicate with him, and Silas won't let you back in this house."

"I understand." Said Bonnie after a moment of reflection. "But I've got to at least try."

"We'll do a locator spell." Said her Grams taking her by the hands. "As dead witches we can't locate the living. But we can locate the dead."

"It's a good thing vampires are all dead then." Replied Bonnie grimly.

* * *

Damon was happy. Really happy for the first time in his undead life. He'd let himself taste the slightest remnants of happiness from time to time… but always in time to have it ripped away. Watching Elena as they walked through the woods- the sun glimmering of her skin, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks- he felt an inner peace that simply poured out of him.

"You've got that look." Commented Elena as they walked along.

"What look?" asked Damon closing his eyes for an instant while he took his next stride.

"The same look you had when we woke up together, the morning after that first time." She smiled.

"I remember that." Replied Damon. He had been _happy_. Until Stefan explained the Sire Bond. "I feel like that now." He took her hand.

"Good. Because I do too." She gave it a squeeze.

It was strange for both of them, to allow themselves to just go out and act like a couple. They hadn't really acted like a couple ever. There was always something getting in the way. The morning walk had been Elena's idea.

"Well, we're here." She announced as they came close to the edge of the forest. A graveyard could just be seen in the distance.

"Time to meet the parents." Said Damon slinging an arm around her.

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" growled Katherine as she continued to drain Caroline. She'd already consumed two vials, and was filling a third.

"Why do you need so much?" groaned Caroline, feeling light headed and very much like a human.

"I need to be sure. There's no telling how much blood I'll need to counteract the cure." Explained Katherine, as the door flew open and a very long shadow was cast against the floor.

"Katerina." Came Klaus's voice. Caroline looked up with tired and hopeful eyes. "I got your message."

Katherine smiled. "The message asking you how New Orleans was came from her." She tossed the phone and watched the little light in Klaus's eyes. She had him.

"Caroline." Said Klaus bobbing his head in her direction.

"Klaus." She lulled her head in acknowledgement.

"I'd advise you to rethink this Katerina. You don't smell like a vampire anymore. I can see the cure is no longer a threat to me." Observed Klaus.

"Elena made sure of that," snickered Caroline- feeling more confident in Klaus's presence. He'd been swooping in to save her a lot recently, and after telling her he wanted to be her last love she knew he'd be there to swoop in again.

"Quiet blondie." Said Katherine dripping vervain along Caroline's arm. Caroline screamed. Katherine smiled, watching Klaus flare his nostrils in an attempt to mask his concern. "Here's how this is going to go." She said pulling out a white oak stake. Klaus's eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" he demanded- thinking them all either destroyed or in his possession.

"I have my ways, and my caches." Answered Katherine enjoying this little taste of power. "I've spent the morning draining Caroline. I've drank so much of her blood. If you don't grant me my freedom, I'll kill her."

"If you kill her, I'll kill you darling." Stated Klaus.

"Then you won't find my reserves of stakes, planned to go into circulation upon my death. Of course, after all her blood, I'll just come back anyway." Katherine smiled… feeling as though she had the upper hand. He had no way of knowing if she was bluffing, and the truth was- she wasn't. Katherine had secured white oak centuries ago.

Klaus considered her for a moment. "Not a bad plan, I do confess. Force me to hand you your freedom and allow you to become a vampire."

Katherine smiled.

"There's just one problem with that." Said Klaus. His eyes flashing. "The cure won't leave your system. Ever."

"You don't know that." Katherine barked back.

"Oh, but I do. Do _you_? Are you willing to stake your life on it? If you die, will you come back?" Klaus stood silently. After a few moments he added, "I'll give you 1 minute to get out of my sight, and I'll give you a running start. After that- well… I hope you have your running shoes on." He smiled

* * *

Bonnie found herself on a cliff face. She looked around and saw a naturally deep fresh water spring. As she stared into the abyss, she realized it was endlessly deep… swirling black the further she looked. She shuddered looking around. "Stefan is supposed to be here?" she asked out loud, to her Grams who materialized next to her.

"His car was." Motioned her Grams, pointing to tracks in the dirt. "Think Bonnie."

"I just don't understand how Silas even broke free. The spell-"

"…was broken the instant you died." Finished her grams. "There is always a balance."

Bonnie nodded frustrated, and looked around. "What reason would he have to choose Stefan to impersonate? He could have done anyone. With me dead and no one knowing- he could of even been me." She creased her eyebrows and continued looking. "…wait a minute… the balance…" her eyes widened. "Silas didn't need to steal Stefan's face like he did when he was impersonating everyone… he and Stefan have the same face… Stefan is his balance… his doppelgänger!"

* * *

"Mom, Dad, this is Damon." Elena smiled and linked arms with Damon as they stood in front of the tombstones.

"I hope Ric and Gemma aren't saying too many bad things about me." Grinned Damon. Elena playfully batted at his side.

"Before all of this, before vampires, I used to come here constantly to journal and just be close to them." She explained. "It just made me feel stable to always have them as a constant. Even if they weren't alive I could come here and still feel like Elena. Say whatever I needed to say, and feel whatever I needed to say." She smiled. "I miss you mom and dad. I wish you could meet Damon. He makes me happy, and I love him."

Damon was taken aback for a moment, and it showed on his face. Elena was being as sincere as she could in the moment and he suddenly knew this was something new- something she never shared with Stefan. He slipped his hand into hers. "I promise to take care of your daughter." He said, speaking to the stones as if the late Gilberts were standing before him. His face was genuine and serious. "She's brought out the best of me. I've come a long way… but I still have a while to go." Damon added. "But I will do it. I'll be better. I'll deserve her. Because I love her too." He brought Elena's fingers to his lips and lightly kissed them. "She is my everything. She is my home."

Elena was staring at him with wide, shining eyes. All her inhibitions melted away with those words. She knew then, without the shadow of a doubt. She made the right choice with Damon. Even if he wasn't perfect. Even if he wasn't the good guy. Damon was hers.

* * *

"You all right love?" asked Klaus as he untied the bonds from Caroline's wrists. "New Orleans is a drag." He answered with a smile, eluding to her earlier text.

Caroline winced as her hands broke free and made a run for her fridge to grab a blood bag. Katherine had drained so much she was feeling dizzy- not something she normally felt as a vampire. "You came." Breathed Caroline as she ripped into the bag. "Thank-you."

"Of course. I thought my showing up at graduation would have proven to you that I will always come when you call. I meant those words. About my intentions." Replied Klaus, intensely staring at her. Caroline drank down the bag. "I see that Tyler has yet to return." Remarked Klaus. He wanted to add something about how he'd never abandon her, but thought better of it.

"Katherine is a human." Caroline spat.

"So I've noticed." Nodded Klaus. "I suppose we know what happened to the cure then."

"I don't think she took it willingly. I think I have some catching up to do with the others. Will you kill her?" Caroline didn't say it maliciously. She had every reason to hate Katherine. Katherine was the one who turned her. But it was just a question. Katherine had gone through all of this to get Klaus to leave her alone.

"I stopped chasing Katherine decades ago. It's better for both of us though, if she thinks I haven't." stated Klaus pulling a bar stool to the kitchen counter, watching Caroline try to clean up the mess Katherine left behind.

"She was sure whatever was in New Orleans would keep you distracted. But you came to help me anyway." Observed Caroline.

"I would never abandon you." Said Klaus, going back on his own mental promise not to say that very thing to her. He could see instantly the sentiment was too intense and made Caroline uncomfortable. Though, sometimes- he felt that's exactly what Caroline needed.

"Katerina being human means I have no more want to make Elena human. She seems happy enough with Damon as a vampire, much to dear Stefan's dismay. But if she is human, I wonder if her blood is still that of a doppelgänger or not….?" He mused out loud.

"You said so yourself, the cure won't leave her system. You wouldn't be able to make hybrids." Added Caroline.

"No harm in trying." Smiled Klaus, holding a hand out to help Caroline off the floor. "It's fair to assume the Silas problem has been dealt with then?"

Caroline nodded. "Stefan came home without a scratch, Bonnie did the spell and took off to be with her mom. I think she needs a break from Mistic Falls."

Klaus nodded silently. "I have to go back to New Orleans."

Caroline found herself feeling disappointed, but she tried not to let it show in her face.

"Do keep texting me. I enjoy our chats, even if I don't always have a chance to respond. I do read them." Added Klaus.

Caroline felt torn over feeling happy about that.

* * *

"Concentrate on Stefan. Silas wouldn't kill him. That would upset the balance again. He must be around here somewhere." Instructed Bonnie's Grams.

Bonnie nodded, closed her eyes, and began to chant. Little pebbles and pieces of dirt began to levitate around her. The wind blew through her. It was sunny, but she left no shadow, no trace.

"Picture him in your mind. Allow yourself to be drawn to him. You'll appear there like an apparition. He won't be able to see you. The environment will not harm you. You are already dead." Explained Grams, and a cold chill sliced through Bonnie. She still hadn't accepted the fact she was dead, and was spending much of her brief afterlife in denial.

Bonnie ignored her Grams, and felt herself lose touch with the reality that was around her. Teleporting places as a ghost was a weird feeling. It was like the moment when your mind was awake during sleep, but you couldn't get your body to move. You'd be aware of every minute detail while you lie there, but nothing would register. It would just be sand slipping through your fingers. This time, she was the sand, slipping through reality.

She opened her eyes and she was some place dark. She couldn't feel the surrounding, and there was very little light penetrating. She was a ghost. Light shouldn't stop her. So she concentrated, until, in her mind's eye, she could see all around her. She was at the bottom of a very deep lake- possibly the one she'd just look down in. The bottom was silty, cloudy, and eels slithered in and out of long winding grasses. There was some sort of box, made of metal, not too far away from her. Air bubbles were escaping from the corner- though they were decreasing rapidly. As Bonnie willed herself closer, she could see it was some sort of safe. The kind complete with a combination dial on the front, like something from old bank robbing movies. Why would her locator spell bring her here? She concentrated, and tried to push her face through.

Bonnie came face to face with an expressionless Stefan.

* * *

Jeremy looked around the Salvatore boarding house. He'd been here off and on in the past few years, but never really explored it. He was surprised at how big it really was. He figured, if he was stuck having Damon as a roommate, it was important to know the ins and outs of this place. It was old. He seemed to remember when Stefan first arrived a living Salvatore had been there but wasn't anymore. He wondered if that had anything to do with Damon's darker days as he explored the library. The guy who'd been living here first had collected a lot of old founder's stuff. There were books dating back to 1864 and Jeremy pulled one off the shelf. It had been a while since he immersed himself like this in the town's history. There was a time not too long ago when he'd been trying to crack the secrets of his family's past.

Elena had felt bad about leaving him that morning. Jeremy wasn't an idiot. In his brief time on the other side he knew everything that Elena had been through. She was torn between wanting to appreciate and be thankful for her living brother, but also wanting to experience the love she felt for Damon- that was now not a sire bond- after literally turning off her humanity and coming back. Jeremy assured her he wouldn't leave the house, was wearing his ring, and that she should go for her walk with Damon and not feel guilty. He knew, she probably still felt guilty.

The truth was, Jeremy was thankful for the empty house. He needed to figure out his thoughts, get used to feeling alive again, and figure out how in the hell he was supposed to be able to walk around Mystic Falls again. The thought had crossed his mind about leaving, re-establishing himself somewhere else… but after Bonnie sacrificed so much to bring him back… he felt like that would be a slap in the face.

"Find anything interesting?"

Jeremy jumped, startled, and turned to see Stefan leaning in the door frame with a smirk. "Stefan!" he exclaimed. "I didn't hear you."

"Vampire thing." Grinned Stefan.

"Yeah I should know better…. I'm just still getting used to this whole being alive again thing. I thought you were shipping out?" asked Jeremy closing the book he'd been thumbing through, and leaving it on the table.

"I plan on hitting the road soon, I want to get out of Elena and Damon's way… there's just a few things I've got to finish up before I do. How are you handling everything?" asked the fake Stefan.

"Good, I guess. It's just weird. I mean, I've died before… but it was always like sleeping. This time… this was really different. I feel different." Explained Jeremy.

"Any new abilities that weren't there before?" Silas knew that often times when supernatural crossed over from his other side they gained new abilities.

"Just the same old same old of seeing ghosts." Replied Jeremy.

Silas, posing as Stefan, raised an eyebrow. "Ghosts? I thought they all would have gone when the veil went back up. How do you know the person you saw was dead?"

Jeremy fumbled for a second not knowing how to explain this part. "Well I-."

"Don't bother lying." Said Silas, catching the tone in his own voice quick enough that he could keep the statement from sounding too stern. "I heard about Bonnie."

"Did Damon tell you?!" Jeremy practically screamed.

'Stefan' shook his head. "No, I heard you. Talking to him about it earlier." He replied.

"Elena can't know." Insisted Jeremy.

"I agree. She won't hear it from me." Nodded Silas.

"She thinks we might be able to bring her back." Said Jeremy hopefully.

"Then, what Elena doesn't know won't hurt her. I'll try and keep my eyes out for anything that might help, talk to witches I meet along the way. I'll email you and text you." Silas mocked concern.

In reality, he was glad Bonnie was trying to get back to the land of the living. That would solve a few problems for him. He didn't want to start all over to try and open the veil. Now that he knew Bonnie loved Jeremy and sacrificed her life for him- he realized Jeremy wasn't just the key to Elena's undoing, he was the key to Bonnie's as well. The perfect master key. "Jere, I wish we could spend more time together. I'm really thankful you're back. I'm going to try and do things better this time. We're all so lucky to have a second chance with you." Silas clapped him on the shoulder and left the room, scheming away, while Jeremy watched on smiling- thinking he'd just had a nice bonding moment with Stefan.

* * *

Damon and Elena were walking back home, hand in hand, up the street on the sidewalk. It was midday and Elena felt the happiest she'd felt since she became a vampire. "I'm glad we did this." Said Elena. "Thank-you."

"I'm trying. I'll always try. I can promise you that. I can also promise you I'll always screw up at least some of the time too- but I will keep trying." Said Damon giving her hand a squeeze. "You bring out the best in me Elena, but I need you to remember I have been the very worst version of myself for a very long time."

"How long?" asked Elena. "How long did you switch your humanity off for?" it helped her to talk about this. She was still reeling from all her guilt.

Damon shrugged. "Sometimes it was decades at a time. I actually had it switched off when I met you. Well, right up until the moment I saw you. When I saw you- that time I thought you were Katherine-"

"That moment you made me forget?" interrupted Elena. "Where I really met you first?"

"Yeah that one." Sighed Damon putting his hand behind his head. "I thought you were Katherine, and I thought I loved Katherine. I turned my humanity back on the instant I saw you."

"Why?" asked Elena peering up art him. He was silent for a moment.

"I wanted to feel love." Said Damon, almost distantly. "When I turned off my emotions I had learned there was a possibility that Katherine was alive, sealed in that tomb. When I thought you were her, all I knew was I needed to feel all those emotions again, because I knew even with my emotions turned off- I knew it like a fact… that I loved her."

"You were devastated when she chose Stefan again." Said Elena looking down at the ground.

"It sucked back then, but from the moment I met you Elena… you've been chipping away at those dark spots in me. Refining me. You aren't trying to change me, you're just making me want to change so I deserve to be with you. I know I started falling in love with you right away. At first I think it was for the wrong reasons- simply because you looked like Katherine-"

"I think that was the same for Stefan too." Interjected Elena.

Damon wasn't sure what to say to that. She was right.

"Am I your second choice?" she suddenly asked. Damon furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at her. "I mean, I saw you go through all that. Katherine in your mind, was your epic love. If she was standing here now, telling you she really did love you… would you still choose me….?"

Damon was stunned. It wasn't like Elena to be this insecure. "I told you once before Elena, I'll always choose you. I meant it." He squeezed her hand again. "Besides, Katherine sent me the message loud and clear, and really turned herself into a bitch. How could anyone love someone like that?"

"What if she did love you, when you first found her again…?" Elena asked quietly.

"What if you never became a vampire? What if Stefan did everything you ever wanted? What if you never met him and were still with Matt? You can't live your life full of what ifs Elena. We have a very long life ahead of us. You'll drive yourself mad, and eventually, that paranoia and fear will make you turn your emotions off again." Explained Damon, trying to stay calm and cool.

"Did it do that for you? Did you run your life over in your mind like I am now?" asked Elena.

"Of course I did. It's part of mourning the human life you had, and coming to terms with the immortality you have now." Said Damon. "I can't know what path I would have taken if things didn't turn out just the way they did… but I have never been so damn happy in my life." He stopped then, and she noted the seriousness in his voice. He took both hands and wrapped them around her shoulders, and stared down into her face. "You told me once you'd never been so sure. Trust me when I say it now. I have never been surer, than I am in this moment, that I love you Elena Gilbert… and I will do anything I can to earn your trust, forgiveness for things in the past, and be the man you need me to be. When you told me you loved me, I let the gates down. I am here. I am in this moment with you. I am feeling it all." He finished.

Elena stared up at him, her eyes twinkling. She'd been a roller coaster of emotions since she turned them back on. She knew he didn't deserve this third degree over a hypothetical life, but it was like teenage hormones on steroids when it came to vampire emotions. Thankfully, by everything he said, it seemed like Damon really understood where she was coming from. He didn't seem to take any offence that she had needed to extra validation and encouragement.

"Thank-you Damon." She said with a smile. "I know you're working really hard. This morning was perfect. I think, coming back to the land of the feeling it just putting me out of whack."

"It does that." He smirked. "But you know, as intense as everything is feeling for you right now, every piece of guilt, every piece of insecurity and self-doubt… it can magnify the good things too."

"Really?" asked Elena. "Because so far I feel like a lunatic." She stifled a giggle.

"Really." Damon took her hand again. "Let's go find something happy to do. I can think of a few places to start." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Elena smirked. The sex she'd experienced with Damon had made here happy- but it had been tainted too early with the idea of the sire bond. So much had built to that moment only to have it tarnished after the fact. It would be nice to replace it with a new experience- one that no one else could change how she felt about it. "But, that's not really fair to Jeremy… you know… with him in the house…"

"Oh little Gilbert. Already becoming a hassle." Mocked Damon. "I have somewhere else in mind." He grinned like an idiot and the two took off running down the street.

* * *

Bonnie was back standing next to her Grams on the cliff. "Stefan." She murmured. "He's down there. He's alive. Well, the vampire version of alive. If he wasn't, he'd be with us. I don't know how he's doing it." She shook her head.

"Vampires don't need air. They just think they do. Silas must have spelled his prison." Remarked Grams, to which Bonnie nodded.

"He's pretending to be Stefan, and God knows what he's getting up to back at the house. I don't even know what happened to the cure, and unless Jeremy leave the house which I doubt he'll do- I have no way to communicate with him." Bonnie growled and kicked at the dirt, even though it didn't move.

"I just don't know what to do!" she screamed.

"Dear sweet Bonnie. You can't do anything for your friends." Bonnie and her Grams turned to see a figure standing there.

"Silas." Spat Grams. "You've done enough here. If he dies, there will be a new balance."

"He won't die." Remarked Silas. "I've made sure of that. He'll just stay out of my way- like I was forced to stay out of his." He shot a look to Bonnie. "Like you were planning to do to me again."

"What the hell do you want?" demanded Bonnie.

"I already told you to stay away from Jeremy." Observed Silas.

"I know." Grunted Bonnie.

"I can send him back to you if you like. Kill him." Suggested Silas.

Shock registered on Bonnie's face. She'd fallen right into his trap. "The last time you were supposed to help me, you double crossed me. This time, I have Jeremy in my corner." Silas grinned. "I think you should listen to my offer, or Jeremy might also find his way… off a cliff."


	4. S05E05- Iron

**In Repair**

Rated T

S05E04 Iron

* * *

Caroline closed the trunk of her car and looked up at Elena. "Are you sure you won't reconsider?" asked Elena. "I mean, it's just a few weeks away. Then we can go together." She suggested. Caroline shook her head.

"No Elena, I'm ready to get the hell out of here. Bonnie's away with her mom, I love you- but you're off with Damon, Matt and Rebekah are on vacation, and Stefan is heading out too. Tyler isn't coming home anytime soon, and neither is Klaus. There's just no reason for me to wait around anymore." Explained Caroline.

Elena raised her eyebrow, thinking it was interesting that Caroline mentioned Klaus- but didn't acknowledge it. "Damon and I can put things off a bit. Or, I mean well we don't have to go anywhere…" struggled Elena as her friend filed a few boxes in to the back of the car.

"Elena." She sighed, turning to put her hands on her friend's shoulder. "Everyone else has moved on with their lives. It's time I did too. You're with Damon, so go be happy and in love and junk." Caroline teased as her friend smiled. "I'll be waiting for you at Whitmore College when you're done your proverbial honey moon." She insisted. "I just want to get a head start you know? Pick up a summer job, find a sorority to take me in… I just feel so… stagnate." She looked down at her shoes.

Elena embraced her friend. "Okay. I understand. But you need to text me every day. Bonnie only seems to be talking to Jeremy and I get it if she needs her space, I just don't want both my best friends ignoring me." Part of Elena flashed with guilt, knowing that after everything she did with her switch turned off, both women had every right to hate her. She woke up thankful every day that they'd forgiven her.

Caroline hugged back. "Okay, I promise." She grinned at her friend. "Now you better go home before Damon comes looking. You know how my mom hates him stalking around."

Elena nodded and grinned.

* * *

The figure stood watching Meredith Fell in the hospital. She was sneaking around hoping to go unnoticed as she took blood bag supplies. The figure knew what it was for. The vampires. Mystic Falls was the town that couldn't get a proper hunter to save its life. Not even the famed hunters of Silas lore were able to do much damage. But he would be different. He had a plan for Silas, and he had a plan for the others too. But that plan meant getting close to Meredith Fell first.

"Can I help you with something?" he said clearing his voice, and stepping into view.

Meredith jumped and turned around. "Oh my goodness, you startled me!" she had almost spilled the contents in her arms. She looked at him curiously, and satisfied that she didn't know him nor him her, continued with her charade. "I'm just getting some supplies for a transfusion. Do _you_ need any help? You look like you're new around here." She smiled, trying to remain confident. He found it pathetic.

"Actually, I was just wondering why a doctor whose license has been suspended was stealing supplies." He said flat out, but still with a smile. Her face reddened as she flailed for a response. "Don't worry I'm not going to rat you out. I happen to think using vampire blood to heal people is a terrible reason to fire you. You should be glorified."

Meredith frowned and raised an eyebrow. Who was this man staring back at her? From behind his glasses she could see that one eye was a different color than the other. One green, one very brown. His hair matched the brown eye.

"Who are you?" she asked.

* * *

"Seriously bro, if we're going to be roomies when I get back, we need to go over some ground rules." Said Damon leaning over the counter where Jeremy was working on a sketch and drinking a glass of orange juice.

"What?" he asked confused, looking up from his work and giving Damon an almost embarrassed look.

"I'm just saying, I'm trying to turn over a new leaf here. For your sister. So don't do anything that might make me need to kill you again." Explained Damon, very nonchalant. Damon and Elena had decided that with everyone else taking road trips and vacations, that they'd have a little fun before she had to leave for school too.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" groaned Jeremy while rolling his eyes. Damon, so predictable.

"Like get in the way if our alone time." Replied Damon with a toothy grin. "You've got a habit of showing up just when you should be leaving."

"I'll keep that it mind." Groaned Jeremy. "Hey, do you think Stefan has been acting strange?" he prodded as Damon opened the fridge.

"Stefan? Strange? He's always strange. Be more specific little Gilbert."

"I don't know. He just seems quieter than usual. And this whole trip he's planning but still hasn't taken. He's been spending a long time going through old stuff here, and he's been visiting the library." Remarked Jeremy.

Damon raised an eyebrow as he came out of the fridge with a glass of ice water. It was sweltering hot out. "Stefan? More brooding than usual? You don't say." He sat down across from Jeremy at the kitchen island. "He's still coming to terms with everything that's happened, Elena choosing me, seeing Lexi, all that stuff."

Jeremy slumped his shoulders. "It just seems a bit odd."

Jeremy clapped him on the back. "Chin up. He'll be out of here soon, and he'll find himself again on the open road. He always does. Sometimes Stefan just needs a little space."

Damon did find it odd that his brother seemed to be digging into the family history before this trip. But that was Stefan, full of regret and nostalgia. Damon preferred to live in the moment.

* * *

Bonnie glared at Silas defiantly. "If you kill him, I'll send him back. I can still harness the power from the expression triangle." She growled.

"Can you Bonnie?" smiled Silas. "Is that a risk you're willing to take? I can crush Jeremy and you know it. I've already done it once."

"What are you proposing." Interrupted Bonnie's grams. Both sets of eyes turned to her.

"You _need_ Bonnie. " she continued. "If you kill Jeremy, you'll never have her help. You'll need to wait for years until a new witch like her is born, and with our bloodline cut off the way it is, you could be waiting forever."

The words didn't fail to register on Silas, but he kept a cool face. "I will have what is mine, even if I have to kill everyone you love dear to get it." He spat.

"I can't even help you from this side. Hello! I'm dead?" screamed Bonnie. "I can't just make a new triangle and drop the veil."

"I'll wait until the veil is thin again. It's only a few months away and I can keep myself busy- I have a lot to do. Then, I'll allow you to possess me." Silas smiled.

"Possess you? How will that help anything?" Bonnie turned to her Grams but she could see the older woman was thinking hard.

"It's a chance, Bonnie. More than you'll ever get again. Possess me and it will become a battle of who is stronger. If I overpower you in my body, I absorb your power and you stop existing. I can then drop and raise the veil at my every whim. However, if you maintain control…" he paused for effect.

"I can stop you." She said coldly. He nodded.

"The barrier between this world and the other side will be thinner in October. That gives us several months to both prepare. Do we have a deal Bonnie Bennett?" asked Silas with a wry smile.

Bonnie hesitated. Her Grams seized her chance. "Don't do it Bonnie. If he accesses your power he can do unknown damage. If you stay like this you have the power, he has to wait for your move."

"It's too good a chance Grams, I know I can beat him." Bonnie fixed her eyes on Silas and put out her hand. "You've got yourself a deal."

* * *

"You're really not going to turn me in?" asked Meredith as she and the stranger sat down over coffee at the hospital cafeteria. She was now in plain clothes.

"Well, I feel bad that I was hired as your replacement. But at least you'll know no one will go on suffering with me around." Said the man. He extended his hand. "Scott Turner." She took it and shook it, with a cautious smile. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. I come from another small town – in Canada-a lot like Mystic Falls. We don't have any renegade vampires there. They all live normal lives, work normal jobs, and we provide them with blood bags so there's no victims. Back in my hospital we used their blood all the time in healing, but I was forced to leave my job when I accidentally turned a patient." He said that last part while casting his gaze away from her shamefully.

"Oh no." said Meredith. "I've been there."

"Your council doesn't seem to be aware of how things operate where I am, and my record only shows that I lost a patient, so I was seeking a transfer. I jumped on this telling them it would be nice to be somewhere warm for a change." He smirked and she giggled.

"But how did you know about me?" she asked.

"Our vampires talk. I heard everything through the grape vine, and I did my own research." He answered. "I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us." He said reaching out and putting his hand across hers. "I didn't intend to take this job from you; I just want to do the same kind of good you do. And maybe we can work together to get your license back."

Meredith had been so stressed and depressed the past few weeks. She welcomed any help she could get.

* * *

Damon and Elena had arranged to take a day trip to the coast and hit a beach. It was summer, they had daylight rings, and Elena was determined to do something normal now that Klaus, Silas, and Katherine were out of her hair. It nagged at her in the back of her mind that Katherine was still out there…. But she didn't feel like Katherine was a threat anymore. Forcing the cure on her had almost been better than destroying her. But now that Elena did the thing that brought her back to her emotions- the thing she'd been using as an anchor- memories and feelings would bubble up. Sometimes she'd talk about them, sometimes she wouldn't. But she was always surprised at just how well Damon responded. He had so much wisdom. She'd look at him funny.

"What?" he grinned smiling at her from the corner of his mouth- looking out at the road.

"You're just so smart sometimes." She chirped.

"You're figuring this out- now?" his grin got wider.

"I knew you were cunning, manipulative, passionate, and ruthless…" started Elena.

Damon rolled his eyes chuckling. "Go one, tell me more!"

"But I guess it never dawned on me that you could be this wise." She ended.

"I've been where you've been. Many times. So has Stefan. You should learn from your elders." He cast her a cool glance and she grinned. "We know a thing or too."

"I'm starting to get that." Admitted Elena. "But I'm not the same as you or Stefan. In some ways I am. But I still have my own unique parts."

Damon nodded. "Very true. I think it took me a bit to realize that."

He turned down a dirt road that would lead them to their destination. "You've grown a lot since you've become a vampire. You've matured."

"How old are you Damon?" asked Elena suddenly.

"One hundread and-" he started but she cut him off.

"Sorry, I don't mean your vampire age. How old when you when you were turned? Stefan was 17, but you'd already done military service. I know so much about his human years but next to nothing about yours." She reflected.

Damon was silent for a moment. "I was 24 when I was turned."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really. I think it's hard for you teenage vamps. You're only experience of life is the drama of the teen years. You don't get to experience how things eventually mellow out." He grinned.

"What was it like?" asked Elena as they continued down the dirt road.

"Well, I did my military service. I enjoyed making the rounds. Dad was pressuring me to get married, but he was pressuring Stefan more. He wanted Stefan to take over the family home and business. Didn't see me as that sort of type- and he was right." Began Damon. "And then Katherine came along and changed it all." He muttered with contempt.

"You really loved her… didn't you?" it wasn't the first time Elena asked the question; it probably wouldn't be the last. She still found it hard to wrap her mind around Katherine's hold on her favourite men. Oblivious to the irony.

"I don't know." He admitted. "She's teased me before telling me that she compelled me into it all. But I still believed I loved her when I met you. Maybe there was even a sire bond thing going on who knows." He shrugged. "I think I was bored with life, and Katherine was exciting."

"Sounds familiar" admitted Elena.

"She was an escape, and I didn't want to hurt my brother but something about her made me want to fight for her. Seeing the way she is all of this time though- she seems to be really skilled at making men and women alike want to do that." Explained Damon.

Elena nodded. "She'd even convinced my real mom- Isobel to do that." Elena went silent for a moment. "Am I like her? At all? I mean, the old Katherine you knew?" she was afraid to ask the question, but every part of her needed to know.

"Besides the looks?" asked Damon. She nodded. "You're both head strong." He laughed, and so did she. "I mean, you're doppelgängers, you're going to have some things in common." He trailed off for a moment. "If you're asking me if you're bat shit crazy like her the answer is no." he grinned.

"That's not what I mean." Replied Elena. "I just… I just wonder sometimes, what she was like, if she was always the way she is now."

Damon watched her speak and realized she put a lot of thought into this. "I guess it can't be easy looking like her." He agreed. "I'm sure that wasn't a fun thing to find out when you met Stefan. I'm sure you're reminded of that little detail…"

"…everyday." She finished for him, looking down at the floor.

"Katherine had her good points, but at the end of the day even back then she was a lot like Klaus. What drove her was running from him, and her need to be invincible. Klaus ran from his dad, and needed to be invincible too." Remarked Damon as he pulled into the beach parking. "They'd actually be perfect for each other." He joked.

"Do you think Klaus will ever change?" asked Elena, thinking of all the bad things Klaus had done, but also thinking of Caroline.

Damon shrugged. "He already is if you ask me. Yeah, he's done some terrible things, but sometimes it takes the right person seeing the good in you- and never giving up- to motivate you to want to be better." He leaned across the seat and planted a kiss on her.

* * *

Silas stood in the town hall yard. Everything that ever went on in Mystic Falls- happened here. The gazebo was here, the fundraisers were held here, graduation… everything. Now, he was standing on a platform looking out at a crowd of people. Each one of them had been compelled to show up there at that time. He'd spent the entire morning walking from stranger to stranger, insisting they arrive and wait for him. Silas wanted to run a little experiment. It was time to stretch the limits of his power- now that he'd had enough blood to recover from his time spent asleep.

He stepped to the edge of the platform and looked out at them from behind Stefan's face. "Hello everyone." He said with a smile. "Thank-you for coming." He paused to clear his throat. "This summer, I have consumed an _immeasurable_ amount of blood. I have found myself getting stronger and stronger every day." Silas paused to watch the audience stare at each other in disbelief. He knew they'd be exchanging the usual confusion over what he was saying. But that didn't matter right now. "…and I started to wonder. What are the limits to my powers? How many people… can I influence… two… ten… an entire town square?" They all stared at him now, and he held their gaze… feeling his power seep out and envelope them in darkness. He grinned. They were his.

* * *

Something was happening to Stefan in his dormant state. He hadn't been without blood for long, but animal blood never lasted quite as long as human blood. He had lost track of time, no idea how many days he'd spent submerged in his inky wet darkness. But his mind was playing back memories. 150 years of memories. Memories of his Father, of even his mother, his boyhood with Damon, and his early school days. As his mind replayed these images, he lessened his grip on them. They'd slip away like a dream, and suddenly… he couldn't remember them at all. He was semi-conscious of this happening, but was still holding his breath and keeping his body in the dormant state. With his emotions turned off, he didn't feel bad about the memories fading, and he didn't fight to keep them.

Moment by moment he watched his life behind his eyes like a film. Memory by memory they faded and were lost to him. He didn't put up a fight, just watched the show. It was easier to focus on them then focus on how hard his chest wanted him to breathe.

Suddenly, there was a sliver of light across his face. Stefan carefully peeled his eyes open a crack as the last of his memories faded away. He slowly reached a hand out as the memories of Silas were starting to dim. He knew he needed to remember Silas, and he knew there was a reason why he, himself, wasn't dead… but he couldn't remember why, and the line of light was growing. His hand connected with the door of the vault, and the door gave way. He stared at it confused and pushed through it, out into the water. It was dark outside his vault, but the light was still penetrating to a degree. Stefan pulled himself out and floated in the water for a moment- looking around, trying to figure out which way was up. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten there.

Finally gaining a sense of up and down, Stefan gave himself a strong push off the bottom, and started padding to the surface.

He didn't know his own name, by the time he took that first breath of air.

* * *

Caroline looked around the campus, and wrapped her arms around herself. She had the sensation that she wasn't a big fish in a small pond anymore. She wondered to herself if she'd meet any other supernatural on campus, and was surprised that she'd be okay if she didn't. She was determined not to think about Klaus or Tyler, but it wasn't time for her to move into the summer dorm yet so she kept herself busy looking around. There was an outdoor bulletin board she spotted, and she walked up to it to read all the postings. There were the usual things she expected- things like back home- local socials, fundraisers, sports… but there were also ads for selling books and gear, renting rooms, clubs, and even classes.

She stopped when she saw a flyer for a class that would start in September on the Occult. She creased her eyebrows as she read the description, mentally rolling her eyes. Humans had such a fascination with the supernatural, but rarely realized how the supernatural just wanted to kill all humans.

"I hear it's a bore of a class." Came a deep British voice behind her that made her jump. Caroline hadn't been paying attention to her vampire senses considering how crazy some of these frosh were, and hearing someone so close without her noticing had caught her off guard. She spun around and came face to face with a very handsome man with striking features. His hair was jet black sprinkled with the very slightest hint of gray. His skin was dark and tanned. His jaw was high, his chin pronounced, and his eyes were two different colours. One was a very bright blue, the other a deep green with a single large fleck of white. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you." He smiled.

"That's okay, I was just reading the board." She smiled back. "Have you taken this class?" she asked

"Not for the faint of heart." Said the man. "Nightmarish stuff, and I hear the papers you have to write are hell. But interesting to some." He mused. "It's an interesting elective at least. What's your name?"

"I'm Caroline," she said extending a hand and a smile. "I'm starting here in September."

He shook her head. "Oh, a frosh. I hadn't pegged you for one of those." He admitted. "You look a little older."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Oh really?"

"Not like that!" he laughed putting his hands up in defeat. "Just like, you've lived a lot I guess. Seen the world."

"Hardly." She replied.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"Mystic Falls." She answered.

"Oh, I had a colleague there." He replied.

"A colleague? Are you a teacher?!" Caroline asked, a little taken a back. This man looked to be no older than his early 20s if that.

He grinned and stuck out his hand. "Ocean Thomas." He smiled.

"What kind of a name is Ocean?" Caroline asked without even thinking. "Ugh sorry, I mean, that's very odd and unique." She blushed a little.

"No worries. I get it all the time. It's the name of a professor who teaches a course on the Occult." He grinned again.

Caroline turned red. This guy was really enjoying messing around with her. Like a cat with a mouse. She wasn't having any of it. He could keep it and his stupid course.

"Well, nice to meet you Dr. Thomas but I'm going to take a tour of the library now." She picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder, marching off past him.

"Hey wait up, I can show it to you." He insisted.

"You always take this much interest in 18 year olds?" she demanded turning around. Not that he wasn't hot. But the guy was setting her red flags flying.

"I'm sorry. Look. I saw your high school patch on your bag and knew you were from Mystic Falls. We don't get many of you here." Explained Ocean as he jogged to keep up with her.

"Really? My best friend is coming here in September with me too. So you'll have two people." She spat as she continued to march.

"No, it's just that, my colleague- the one I was talking about? Maybe you know him, I think he taught at your high school." Said Ocean. Caroline came to a stop. She turned to face him. "Alaric-"

"Saltzmen." She finished for him. "Yeah. Alaric… he was a good teacher and a great friend."

"…was?" prodded Ocean.

"Yeah. He died." Frowned Caroline.

Ocean looked momentarily pained. "I… I'm very sorry to hear that. What happened?"

"Officially?" asked Caroline. "He drowned."

"Unofficially?" asked Ocean.

"Too close to his work." She admitted, not even sure what she meant by that but hoping it would scare him off. It didn't.

"I'd really like to get you a drink Caroline." Said Ocean after a moment of silence.

"I'm underage." She replied solemnly.

"I was thinking something with a little more iron." Replied Ocean.

They stared at each other for a moment.


End file.
